Ria Wägner, born Maria Wägner (1914–1999), was a Swedish journalist, author, translator, and television producer, who became one of the first television personalities in Sweden. Ria Wägner was the daughter of author and translator Ellen Rydelius (1885–1957) and author Harald Wägner (1885–1925). Her paternal aunt was the feminist writer and pacifist

Elin Wägner Elin Matilda Elisabet Wägner (16 May 1882 – 7 January 1949) was a Swedish writer, journalist, feminist, teacher, ecologist and pacifist. She was a member of the Swedish Academy from 1944. Biography Elin Wägner was born in Lund, Sweden as th ...

. Her parents separated in 1922, and Ria grew up with her mother, who as a travel writer spent much time in Rome, where Ria went to a school taught by English nuns for two years. When Rydelius and her daughter had returned to Sweden, Ria attended Whitlockska samskolan, graduating in 1933. Wägner studied at

Lund University Lund University () is a Public university, public research university in Sweden and one of Northern Europe's oldest universities. The university is located in the city of Lund in the Swedish province of Scania. The university was officially foun ...

and graduated with a Master of Arts degree in 1939. She worked as a journalist at ''

Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning ''Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning'' (GHT) was a daily newspaper published in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 1832 to 1985. History and profile ''Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning'' was founded in 1832 by publisher Magnus Prytz and had ...

'', ''

Nya Dagligt Allehanda ''Nya Dagligt Allehanda'' (New Daily Everywhere), also known as the ''NDA'' was a Swedish conservative-leaning newspaper published in Stockholm from 1859 to 1944. History The ''Nya Dagligt Allehanda'' was founded as a continuation of another n ...

'', '' Vecko-Journalen'' and '' Veckorevyn'', and she was Editor-in-chief of '' Idun'' in 1962–63, until the magazine merged with ''Vecko-Journalen''. She also wrote travel books and cookery books. In 1956, the year when

Swedish television Sveriges Television AB ("Sweden's Television aktiebolag, Stock Company"), shortened to SVT (), is the Sweden, Swedish national public broadcasting, public television broadcaster, funded by a public service tax on personal income set by the Riksd ...

was officially launched, Ria Wägner started working as a television host, for her own show "Hemma med Ria" (''At home with Ria''). The programme was broadcast from 1956 to 1966, and again from 1970 to 1978, and it focused on cooking, home economics, art, and music. Each programme ended with Wägner making her signature backwards wave at the camera. She was married to journalist Staffan Rosén 1939–1946, and had two sons with him. She lived together with the author

Gustav Sandgren Gustav Sandgren (20 August 1904 – 11 August 1983) was a Swedish writer. Early life and writing Sandgren's parents were O.J. Sandgren and Karolina Adolfsson, who gave their son a poor but happy childhood. The father was, in addition to his wo ...

from 1945 until his death in 1983, and the couple had one daughter. Ria Wägner died on

Lidingö Lidingö (), also known in its definite form Lidingön and as Lidingölandet, is an island in the inner Stockholm archipelago, northeast of Stockholm, Sweden. In 2023, the population of the Lidingö urban area on the island was 48,162. It is the ...

in 1999.

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